The global outbreak of COVID-19 radically reshaped the nature of work, compelling organizations to transition to hybridworking models (CIPD, 2023). This transformation blurred the boundaries between professional and personal life, requiring employees and managers to adapt to digitally mediated interactions and distributed team dynamics (CIPD, 2025; Gallup, 2025). In this environment, leadership styles play a crucial role in maintaining motivation, engagement, and cohesion among employees separated by physical distance (Greimel, Kanbach & Chelaru, 2023). Employee engagement—defined as the emotional, cognitive, and behavioral commitment to an organisation—remains a powerful predictor of performance, wellbeing, and retention (Mäkikangas et al., 2022).

However, leadership effectiveness in hybrid settings is not uniform across all employees. Increasing attention has been directed toward diversity factors—such as gender, age, cultural background, and disability—that shape individuals’ experiences in virtual work environments (Höddinghaus, Nohe & Hertel, 2024). For example, younger employees often thrive in digital contexts that reward technological proficiency, while older employees may struggle with adaptation or digital exclusion. Similarly, women and minority employees frequently encounter barriers to visibility and career progression in remote settings, leading to disparities in engagement (McKinsey & Company, 2023). These findings highlight the necessity of inclusive leadership practices that recognize and respond to diverse needs within hybrid teams.

As organizations increasingly rely on technology-mediated collaboration, the interplay between leadership styles, employee engagement, and diversity requires systematic investigation. The long-term sustainability of hybrid work depends on leaders’ ability to cultivate trust, psychological safety, and inclusion in digitally dispersed teams. Yet, despite the growing body of literature on remote work and leadership, there remains limited integration of diversity as an influencing factor on engagement outcomes. This gap underpins the central motivation for the present study (Boccoli, Gastaldi & Corso, 2023; Men, 2022)

1.2 Problem Statement

Existing research demonstrates that transformational, servant, and authentic leadership styles can enhance engagement by fostering autonomy, trust, and a sense of belonging in virtual teams (Abughannam, 2024; Zhang, Xu & Wang, 2023). However, much of this work treats employees as a homogenous group, overlooking how diversity characteristics shape leadership effectiveness. Evidence suggests that women, cultural minorities, and employees with disabilities may respond differently to leadership behaviors in hybrid contexts, due to varying access to visibility, social capital, and technological support (Newman et al., 2022).

Moreover, current studies vary widely in their theoretical approaches, methods, and definitions of engagement, which complicates comparison and synthesis. While individual studies explore leadership and engagement, few adopt an integrative framework that considers diversity as an influencing factor (Navigating Digital Leadership, 2025). The absence of a consolidated understanding of these relationships limits organizations’ ability to implement inclusive leadership strategies suited to hybrid workplaces (Nagori, 2024; McKinsey & Company, 2023).

This dissertation, therefore, addresses a clear research gap by systematically reviewing and synthesising existing academic evidence on the influencing role of diversity in the relationship between leadership styles and employee engagement in hybridwork environments (Remote Leadership and Work Engagement, 2023; Advancing Virtual and Hybrid Team Well-being, 2024).

1.3 Research Aim

This study aims to systematically review and critically synthesize existing research on how diversity affects the relationship between leadership styles and employee engagement within hybridwork environments.

1.4 Research Objectives

To identify and evaluate the key leadership theories—such as transformational, transactional, servant, authentic, and e-leadership—examined in hybridwork contexts.
To review how employee engagement has been conceptualized and measured across prior studies related to distributed or technology-mediated work.
To synthesize existing empirical findings on how diversity (gender, age, ethnicity, disability, and cultural background) affects the relationship between leadership style and employee engagement.
To develop an integrative conceptual framework from the reviewed studies that highlights gaps, inconsistencies, and directions for future research on inclusive leadership in hybrid settings.

1.5 Research Questions

To fulfil the research aim and objectives, the study will address the following review-based questions:

What does existing research reveal about the impact of leadership styles on employee engagement in hybridwork settings?
How do diversity characteristics (such as gender, age, ethnicity, disability, and cultural background) affect this relationship in previously published studies?
What conceptual themes and research gaps emerge from the current body of literature on inclusive leadership and engagement in distributed teams?

These questions are explicitly designed for a systematic literature review, ensuring they can be answered through published peer-reviewed studies rather than empirical data collection.

1.6 Scope and Significance of the Study

The review will encompass 60 peer-reviewed journal articles published between 2015 and 2024, ensuring contemporary relevance while capturing pre- and post-pandemic trends. Only studies written in English and indexed in major academic databases such as Scopus, Web of Science, Emerald, and Taylor & Francis will be included.

This research is significant for both theory and practice. Theoretically, it contributes to leadership and diversity literature by integrating dispersed findings into a coherent framework that clarifies the influencing role of diversity. Practically, it offers evidence-based insights for managers, HR professionals, and consultants seeking to strengthen employee engagement in hybrid workplaces through inclusive leadership practices. In doing so, the study aligns with the University of Liverpool Management School’s (ULMS) mission to develop graduates who are analytically rigorous, globally aware, and capable of applying research to solve real-world business challenges.

1.7 Research Structure

The remainder of this dissertation is structured as follows:

Chapter 2 – Literature Review: Provides an in-depth thematic synthesis of prior research on leadership styles, employee engagement, diversity, and remote/hybrid work, identifying theoretical and empirical gaps.
Chapter 3 – Methodology: Details the systematic review design, search strategy, inclusion/exclusion criteria, and data analysis approach guided by PRISMA principles.
Chapter 4 – Findings and Discussion: Presents the thematic outcomes of the review, discussing the interaction between leadership, engagement, and diversity across different organizational contexts.
Chapter 5 – Conclusion: Summarizes the review findings, discusses limitations, and proposes implications for future research and practice in inclusive leadership and hybrid work.

Chapter 2: Literature Review

2.1 Introduction to the Literature Review

2.2 Leadership Theories in HybridWork Settings

Transformational Leadership
Servant Leadership
Authentic Leadership
Transactional Leadership
E-Leadership

2.3 Conceptualisations of Employee Engagement in Distributed Work

2.4 Diversity as an Influencing Factor in Leadership–Engagement Relationships

Gender
Age
Ethnicity and Cultural Background
Disability and Neurodiversity

2.5 Impact of Technology-Mediated Communication on Leadership Effectiveness

2.6 Theoretical Frameworks Used in Previous Studies

2.7 Synthesis of Key Themes and Empirical Gaps in the Literature

2.8 Summary of the Literature Review

Chapter 3: Methodology

3.1 Research Design

This study adopted a systematic literature review (SLR) research design to critically examine how diversity influenced the relationship between leadership styles and employee engagement in hybridwork environments. A systematic review was selected because it provided a structured, transparent, and replicable approach to identifying, evaluating, and synthesising existing research.

The purpose of this study was to integrate findings from previously published academic research rather than collect primary or statistical data. Therefore, an SLR was the most appropriate design to explore leadership behaviours linked to employee engagement and how these findings varied across diverse employee groups.

The review followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines to ensure consistency in the identification, screening, and reporting of studies. 60 Peer-reviewed journal articles published between 2015 and 2024 were included to reflect the post-pandemic shift toward digital and hybrid work.

3.2 Search Strategy

Databases (Scopus, Web of Science, google scholar, Taylor & Francis)
Keywords + Boolean Strategy

3.3 Inclusion and Exclusion Criteria

3.4 Study Selection Process (PRISMA Flow)

3.5 Quality Appraisal of Selected Studies

3.6 Data Extraction and Thematic Analysis

3.7 Ethical Considerations in Secondary Research

3.8 Limitations of the Methodology

Reference list

“A Systematic Review on the Impact of Remote Work on Employee Engagement.” (2023). BBE Journal. https://bbejournal.com/BBE/article/view/812 Accessed: 21 October 2025. BBE Journal

“Advancing virtual and hybrid team well-being through a job demand….” (2024). PMC. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11916424/ Accessed: 21 October 2025. PMC

“Navigating Digital Leadership: Unraveling the Dynamics of Remote Work and Cultural Diversity.” (2025). TEM Journal. https://temjournal.com/content/141/TEMJournalFebruary2025_823_835.pdf Accessed: 21 October 2025.

“Remote Leadership and Work Engagement: A Critical Review and Future Directions.” (2023). EJBMR. https://ejbmr.org/index.php/ejbmr/article/view/1835 Accessed: 21 October 2025. EJ Business & Management Research

Abughannam, D.A., 2024. So why, D&I? A study on diversity and inclusion in the workplace in the digital age. https://digitalcommons.liberty.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=7043&context=doctoral

Boccoli, G., Gastaldi, L., & Corso, M. (2023). Transformational leadership and work engagement in remote work settings: The influencing role of the supervisor’s digital communication skills. Leadership & Organization Development Journal. https://doi.org/10.1108/LODJ-09-2023-0490 Accessed: 21 October 2025.

CIPD (2023). Flexible and hybrid working: Practices, challenges and the future. Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development. Accessed by (29 September 2025) Available at: https://www.cipd.co.uk

CIPD. (2025, July 15). Flexible and hybrid working practices in 2025. https://www.cipd.org/en/knowledge/reports/flexible-hybrid-working/ Accessed: 21 October 2025. CIPD

Gallup. (n.d.). A guide to hybrid work and managing a remote team. https://www.gallup.com/workplace/316313/understanding-and-managing-remote-workers.aspx Accessed: 21 October 2025. Gallup.com

Greimel, N.S., Kanbach, D.K., & Chelaru, M., 2023. Virtual teams and transformational leadership: An integrative literature review and avenues for further research. Journal of Innovation & Knowledge, 8(2), p.100351. Accessed by (29 September 2025) available at: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2444569X23000471

Höddinghaus, M., Nohe, C. & Hertel, G., 2024. Leadership in virtual work settings: what we know, what we do not know, and what we need to do. European Journal of Work and Organizational Psychology, 33(2), pp.188-212. Accessed by (1^November 2025) available at: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.1080/1359432X.2023.2250079

Mäkikangas, A., Juutinen, S., Mäkiniemi, J.P., Sjöblom, K. & Oksanen, A., 2022. Work engagement and its antecedents in remote work: A person-centered view. Work & Stress, 36(4), pp.392-416. Accessed by (28 September 2025) available at: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.1080/02678373.2022.2080777

McKinsey & Company (2023). Diversity matters even more: How inclusion drives performance in hybrid workplaces. Accessed by (29 September 2025) Available at: https://www.mckinsey.com

Men, L. R. (2022). Transformational leadership during the COVID-19 pandemic. Frontiers in Psychology. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9019500 Accessed: 21 October 2025. PMC

Nagori, R. (2024). Hybrid employees describe aspects that promote effectiveness, work… (Millennial focus). https://doi.org/10.1080/23311908.2024.2362535 Accessed: 21 October 2025. Taylor & Francis Online

Nagori, R. (2024). The design of hybrid work for improved employee engagement and well-being: Perspectives for HRD practice. International Journal of HRD Practice, Policy & Research, 8(2), 83-99. https://doi.org/10.2478/ijhrd-2024-0010 Accessed: 21 October 2025.

Newman, A., Round, H., Bhattacharya, S., & Roy, A. (2022). Diversity, inclusion and leadership: Current trends and future directions. Human Resource Management Review, 32(4), 100898.

Zhang, Y., Xu, S. & Wang, Y. (2023). Leadership and employee engagement in virtual teams: The mediating role of trust. Leadership & Organization Development Journal, 44(3), 234–249.

research proposal

Chapter 1: Introduction

1.1 Background and Context